A tough one - I think GM

[Guest Faust]

My local boneyard just took in a car which is so stripped I cannot identify it. Every emblem, the dash, grille and ID plate are gone. The general outline is that of a late 30's GM sedan. The car has hydraulic brakes, a 4 piece hood with a chrome side vent opening which is 33" long, the outline on the trunk lid for the missing handle and emblem suggest Buick. The front fenders are "squared" at the rear, just before the door, and it has running boards.

It has running lights (possibly directionals) mounted at the top of the front fenders. The headlight nascelles nount to the grille support, not the fenders. There is no chassis number where I would expect to find it on a Buick, just ahead of the firewall on the passenger's side.

I have reviewed pictures of older Chevy's, new enough to have hydraulic brakes (1939?)and none seem to mount the headlights off the grille support. The same with late 30's Olds. There is enough fender there to see that they would not support the side grilles common on late 30's LaSalle. I think I would know a Buick. I'm stumped. What year did GM switch to hydraulic brakes?

Unfortunately, the shutter was sticking on my digital camera so that the only picture I got home with was of the grille support/fascia where the headlights mount. One headlight was there, but badly rusted. It had a lateral "feature line" down the side, which "might" have supported a chrome strip.

<center>

<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v141/TWFaust/UNKNOWN/100_2035.jpg" target="_blank">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v141/TWFaust/UNKNOWN/th_100_2035.jpg"></a>

</center>

[Guest sixpack2639]

Fixed your pic but got no idea what it is. Cheers, Carl

[West Peterson]

My guess is 1937-39 Cadillac or 1938-39 LaSalle.

[Oxnard Montalvo]

IMHO, 1937-'38 Buick.

[Guest Faust]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> IMHO, 1937-'38 Buick. </div></div>

I looked at a few photo gallaries and think you are right. I am going mostly on the running lights. I brought one home and a picture is attached. It does have the lateral chrome strip like '37, '38. Sorry about the pic, but no daylight available.

Tom Faust